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Monday, 12 March 2018

Looking After Your Health On Holiday

Vacations
are great for the body and mind. They allow us to escape the stress
of everyday life, lower our blood pressure and cortisol levels.
However, holidays can also have their negative effects on our health.
Some of us drink too much and have accidents, whilst others spend too
long in the sun. Here are just a few tips for protecting your health
on holiday.

Pack
a medical kit

You
should always take a few medical supplies with you on holiday. This
should include plasters, painkillers and creams for rashes. You
should also remember to take any prescription medicine you need with
you on your holiday. It’s worth taking a copy of your prescription
in case you need to get some more medicine from a pharmacy whilst
you’re out there.

Take
out travel insurance

It’s
handy to have travel
insuranceif
you’re going on vacation in another country. Travel insurance
schemes can usually pay for any emergency treatment you may need.
Without insurance, you could be denied this treatment. Every
insurance scheme has different conditions when it comes to which
treatments are provided so make sure that you’re aware of exactly
what you’re covered for.

Know
who to call in an emergency

The
emergency number will be different if you’re going on holiday in
another country. This is something worth researching and having a
note of, just in case you need to ring an ambulance. If you’re
visiting a remote location, it could be worth knowing the number of
an air
ambulance service.
Cruises meanwhile may have their own nursing unit in some cases.

If
you’re going somewhere warm and sunny on holiday, make sure to
protect yourself from the sun’s rays. Sunburn can be very bad for
your skin in the long run and has been linked to skin cancer. By
wearing sun cream or staying covered up, you can prevent yourself
from burning and getting sunstroke. Sunglasses meanwhile are good for
your eyes, preventing damage such as corneal
flash burns.

It’s
important to also drink a lot of water on vacation, especially if
you’re somewhere much hotter than you’re used to back home. You
may have to avoid tap water in some countries due to it not being as
clean, which could mean stocking up on bottled water. Don’t think
that by drinking lots of alcohol you’re staying hydrated –
alcohol can in fact dehydrate you and may help bring on sunstroke.

Get
your vitamin C fix before taking the plane

Airplanes
are prime places for catching colds and other viruses due to the
limited air circulation. Many people spend the first few days of
their holiday ill due to this. Avoid catching something by boosting
your immune system with some vitamin C. A few supplements
could
be enough to do the job.